2009 News and Information
Richmond Looking For a Few Angels
25 November 2009Do you have an elderly neighbour that could use a hand with shovelling this winter?
The City of Richmond is fostering two new programs to help make winter a little bit easier on seniors or residents with physical challenges. The City is currently recruiting organizations to become Snow Angels – providing services to those who might need assistance during winter storms. The goal is to create a registry of local organizations offering a variety of services, with the City’s parks department acting as a referral agency. Services could include pick up and delivery of medications, groceries or other necessities, delivering a hot meal to house-bound residents, or snow removal.
The Good Neighbour campaign encourages all able-bodied residents to clear the walkways in front of their homes, then help others who can’t. There’s no registry to join or dispatch to call; all anyone has to do is adopt a senior’s sidewalk this winter, and keep it clear. Or, ask if you can lend a hand in some other manner.
Snow Angels and Good Neighbour programs have successfully operated in other cities across the country including Toronto and Calgary, and are just two of the new initiatives by the City as part of its expanded winter weather response. The city is also compiling a list of local, private snow removal companies that will be posted to its website, should residents prefer to hire an individual or firm to clear their driveways and walkways when it snows. And it has created a Residents’ Guide to Winter Weather on the city’s website, that provides preparation tips, useful contacts, the snow removal policy and route map, links to webcams, weather updates, storm advisories, garbage and recycling information and everything else you need to know about wind, rain and snow storms in Richmond. Visit our Weather Readiness page for details.
